Key case



G. E. PRENTICE KEY CASE Filed May 1 Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

PATENT caries.-

'onoaon n Parana-10E, or BERLIN, conuncrxcur.

KEY CASE.

Application filed Kay 16,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. PRnN'rIoE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berlin, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Key Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in key cases of the form havin an enclosing body of leather and a plura ity of spring clip devices for individually supporting the keys and which clip devices are supported from a metal plate that is applied to the leather body or casing, and the object of my improvement is to produce a key case structure in which the individual spring clip devices are operatively connected with the metal supporting plate by means of a joint of relatively simple form and that has substantially the inherent qualities of a universal joint or swivel connection, whereby the point of connection with the plate is substantially fixed and at the same time the key supported by the spring clip device is free to turn under conditions of use, and without turning the case.

In the accompanyin drawing Figure 1 is a front e evational view of my improved key case with the flaps in the open position, exposing the individual key hangers or clip devices and a few keys that are supported thereby.

Figure 2 is a similar view on an enlarged scale of the supporting plate and adjacent parts.

Figure 3 is an ed e view of the same, the casing back Wall being shown in section.

Figure 4 is a rear view of the same, with part of the casing back wall broken away.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

My improved key-case comprises a body or casing 10 that has a back wall 11 and a pair of side flaps 12 that are adapted to close, over at the front and lap over one another, the said flaps 12 being provided with cooperating clasp or looking devices 13.

Mounted on the back wall 11 and positioned at the upper portion thereof is a metal supporting plate 14, being secured to said back11 by means of a plurality of eyelet rivets 15.

Supported from spring clips or hangers 16 for receiving the the plate 14 is a set of,

1928. Serial No. 639,825.

' keys, there being six such devices in the structure shown.

The hangers 16 are similar to devices that are in common use, comprising at the lower portion and hook 17 and a keeper 18 therefor that are held in resilient engagement under normal conditions and that can be forced apart to admit or remove a key.

The upper end portion 19 of the hanger 16 is in the form of an eye or loop that is substantially closed, the structure being formed of wire, the two ends of the eye or loop 19 merging respectively with the hook 17 and keeper 18.

The means for connecting the eye 19 with the plate 14: are special, as will be described.

Said plate 14 is provided with a set of openings 20 to correspond in number to the number of hangers and in said openings 2() there is in each case a tie piece 21 of Wire that is loosely held in place so as to be adapted to rotate freely and at the same time being positively held in place against dis lacement.

n the front side of the plate 14: the tie 21 is in the form of an eye or loop 23 that is substantially similar to the eye or loop 19 on the hanger so that these parts cooperate one with the other substantially in the manner of two adjacent links of a chain.

The two parts of the wire forming the eye 23 are brought together as they pass through the hole 20 to form substantiall a reduced shank 24 that is a loose fit therein and back of the plate 14 the ends 25 of the wire flare outwardly so as to bear against the rear face of the supporting plate 14 and serve to hold the eye 21 in operative en gagement with said plate 14.

in order to 'ensurefreedom of movement of the holding arms or legs 25 of the tie 21 to portion 26 of the 'plate 14 that has the holes 20 is spaced from the back wall 11 to provide an open and free operating chamber 27 between said portion 26 and back wall 11.

As shown, the plate M has at the upper end a rearwardly directed flange 28 that abuts against the leather back wall 11 that forms the top wall of the s ace 27 and the bottom wall 29 thereof is 'ormed by suit-' able bends in the material of the plate. Intermediate said walls 28 and 29 is the Oil portion 26 that has the holes 20 and which, as described, is in the form of a raised platform.

I claim as my invention 1. In a key case comprising an enclosing case of leather orvthe like having a back wall, a Supporting plate of sheet metal secured to said back wall, a portion of said plate serving as a raised platform relatively to said back wall, positioned in. spaced relation thereto, and provided with rearwardlydirected spacing flanges along the top and bottom edges, said platform having' a set of perforations, tie pieces operatively housed in said perforations and comprising an eye in front of said platform, a laterally directed overhanging portion housed within the space between said platform and the opposed portion of said back,

and a reduced neck-like structure that is in registration with said perforation, and keysupporting clips mounted individually in said eyes.

2. In a key case structure, a metallic plate for being mounted within an enclosing case and having a series of perforations, a set of key-clips corresponding in number to said perforations, and a set of tiepieces for individually supporting said clips, said tie pieces being each formed of a piece of wire that is formed into a loop for receiving the clip, the arms of the loop being entered through the perforation and the ends of said arms being relatively short and turned over to engage the opposed face of the plate.

GEORGE E. PRENTIUE. 

